You have probably heard that sugar is bad for you. The truth is more useful: some sugar is fine, and the advice is to keep free sugars (sugar that is added to food and drinks, plus sugar in honey, syrups and fruit juice) low. The question is how low.
The limits at a glance
| Organisation | What it recommends | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| WHO | Free sugars under 10% of total energy (a strong recommendation). Under 5% (a conditional recommendation) would give additional health benefits. | 5% is roughly 25 g, about 6 teaspoons, a day |
| NHS (UK) | No more than 30 g of free sugars a day for adults | About 7 sugar cubes |
| American Heart Association | Added sugars of about 100 calories a day for women and about 150 calories a day for men | About 6 teaspoons for women and 9 teaspoons for men |
A teaspoon of sugar is about 4 grams. The sources use grams, teaspoons and sugar cubes, so we convert them for you.
World Health Organization
In its 2015 guideline, the WHO recommends that both adults and children reduce free sugars to less than 10% of their total energy intake. It calls this a “strong” recommendation. It also suggests that less than 5%, roughly 25 grams or about 6 teaspoons a day, would provide additional health benefits, such as less tooth decay. This is called a “conditional” recommendation.
Because the limit is a percentage, it depends on how much energy you eat. For example, if you eat 2,000 calories a day, 10% is 200 calories, which is 50 g of sugar, and 5% is 100 calories, which is 25 g. Our calorie calculator does this arithmetic for your own number.
NHS (UK)
The NHS gives fixed daily maximums for free sugars:
| Age | Maximum free sugars per day |
|---|---|
| Adults | 30 g (about 7 sugar cubes) |
| 7 to 10 years | 24 g (6 cubes) |
| 4 to 6 years | 19 g (5 cubes) |
| 2 to 3 years | 14 g (3.5 cubes) |
| 1 year | 10 g (2.5 cubes) |
For babies under one, the NHS gives no limit, but says no sugar should be added to their food or drinks.
American Heart Association
The AHA uses calories for added sugars: about 100 calories a day for women (roughly 6 teaspoons) and about 150 calories a day for men (roughly 9 teaspoons). Since sugar has about 4 calories per gram, that works out to about 25 g and about 37 g.
Why the numbers differ
- They count different things. The WHO and NHS talk about free sugars, which include added sugar plus sugar in honey, syrups and fruit juice. The AHA talks about added sugars.
- They set the limit in different ways. Some use a percentage of your energy, some a fixed amount, some a calorie count.
- They are all limits, not targets. You do not need to eat any added sugar.
Even so, the guidance points in the same direction. A good aim for most adults is to stay at or below roughly 25–30 g of free sugars a day.
Sugar that is naturally inside whole fruit, vegetables and milk is not counted as free sugar. The WHO page says there is no reported evidence of adverse effects from those. See added vs natural sugar for more detail.
Your limit at different calorie levels
Because the WHO sets its limit as a share of your energy intake, the number in grams changes with how much you eat. These figures use 4 calories per gram of sugar.
| Daily calories | Under 10% of energy | Under 5% of energy |
|---|---|---|
| 1,500 | about 37 g (9 teaspoons) | about 19 g (5 teaspoons) |
| 1,800 | 45 g (11 teaspoons) | about 23 g (6 teaspoons) |
| 2,000 | 50 g (12 teaspoons) | 25 g (6 teaspoons) |
| 2,500 | about 62 g (16 teaspoons) | about 31 g (8 teaspoons) |
These are free-sugar limits, so the sugar in whole fruit and plain milk is not part of the total. The NHS figure of 30 g for adults sits between the 5% and 10% levels for many people. Use our calculator to see your own.
Grams, teaspoons and cubes
| Grams of sugar | Teaspoons (about 4 g each) |
|---|---|
| 4 g | 1 |
| 10 g | 2.5 |
| 20 g | 5 |
| 25 g | 6 |
| 30 g | 7 |
| 40 g | 10 |
What 30 grams looks like
It is easier to spend than you think. A single sweet drink, dessert or flavoured yoghurt can use a large share of your day’s allowance. Learn where sugar hides in our hidden sugar guide and how to read the numbers on a pack in how to read a nutrition label.
Simple ways to stay under
- Look at what you drink. Sugary drinks are a common source. Swap some for water, tea or coffee without sugar.
- Choose plain versions. Plain yoghurt with fruit instead of flavoured yoghurt, for example.
- Check labels. Compare products per 100 g.
- Save sweets for the occasional treat and enjoy them, without guilt.
- Cut back gradually. Taste buds adjust over a few weeks.
Common myths
- “Natural sugar is always fine.” Honey, syrups and fruit juice are natural, but they count as free sugars.
- “I have to give up sugar completely.” The guidance is about limits, not a ban. A small amount in a varied diet is fine.
- “Only sweet foods have sugar.” Sauces, bread, cereals and ready meals can contain added sugar.
- “If I exercise, I can ignore the limit.” Training helps your health in many ways, but the guidelines apply to everyone.
Frequently asked questions
Which limit should I follow?
Any of them is a reasonable guide. If you want one simple number, the NHS figure of 30 g of free sugars a day is easy to remember. The WHO’s 5% level is a good aim if you want to go further.
Do the limits apply to children?
The NHS gives lower limits for children by age (see the table above). Parents should look at the NHS page for their child’s age, or ask a health professional.
Do sweeteners count?
Sweeteners are not sugar, so they are not part of these limits. Guidance on them is a separate topic, and we do not cover it here.
Does sugar in tea and coffee count?
Yes. Sugar you add yourself is a free sugar, and so is syrup in flavoured drinks.
Who should talk to a professional
If you have diabetes, are pregnant, take medicine that affects blood sugar, or have an eating disorder, please ask your doctor or a registered dietitian about your own limits. These numbers are for healthy adults.
This article reports published guidelines. It is not personal advice. Read our disclaimer.